Police stepped in to prevent another “tent city” being set up in central
London yesterday after protesters attempted to occupy Trafalgar Square.

About 25 tents were pitched next to Nelson’s Column at 1.30pm after a group of 200 protesters broke free from the main march, which was protesting about the rise in university tuition fees and education cuts.

The breakaway group pledged to stay in the square indefinitely, mirroring the occupation at St Paul’s Cathedral.

About an hour later police removed the protesters, saying they had breached section 12 of the Public Order Act by deviating from the official protest route.

The success of the policing operation was in part attributed to the fact that Scotland Yard had 4,000 officers on patrol, the largest single body of officers policing any event since the summer riots.

The attempted occupation was the only notable incident of an otherwise peaceful protest. Last night only 24 arrests had been made despite an estimated 10,000 protesters turning out.

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Earlier in the day Glyn Jukes, 37, one of the ringleaders of the breakaway group, said that the camp was “here to stay” and that “supplies were on the way”.

The joiner from Newtown, mid-Wales, said: “This camp will serve as a beacon for the old and the young and the disenfranchised around the world.” He handed out “bust cards” with instructions on what to do in the event of arrest.

However most of the breakaway group left to rejoin the march a short time later, leaving about 25 protesters to hold the camp.

Then at 2.45pm, about 100 police officers approached the encampment, set up a loudspeaker and demanded the protesters leave or face arrest. Fifteen minutes later they moved in and carried the protesters away.

By 3.15pm the Occupy Trafalgar Square camp was no more.

Police said that 12 arrests were made at the camp. They offered to return the tents but none of the protesters took up the offer.

“Freedoms are being eroded everywhere in this country, “ said Ben, 24, from Hertfordshire. This is just another example of that”.